Your Kent Wedding - March/April 2021 (Issue 95)

Step into a world of wedding wonder at The Chic Wedding Showrooms, home to some of Kent’s finest wedding suppliers, and be amazed by the range of breathtaking new room setups. Not only can you talk flowers and venue styling with the Chic Weddings and Events team, but you also have the opportunity for wedding dress and cake consultations with Victoria’s Bridal Boutique and Shelley’s Cakes respectively. While you’re there, why not discuss your save-the-dates, invitations, menus, table plans and signage with ByBlossom Wedding Stationery, photography with Jeff Oliver, hair styling and make-up with RKW Hair and Elizabeth Joseph-Love, and bespoke wedding ring and big-day jewellery with COO Jewellers? You can even have a dance in Mint DJs’ entertainment room. Here, at this permanent wedding fair you’ll find everything you need all in one place, and you can’t help but leave full of wedspiration. The Showrooms will be open for pre-bookable browsing slots all day on Saturdays and Sundays as well as for full wedding consultations as soon as restrictions allow. Pre-register by email: hello@chicweds.co.uk, al so check out www.chicweddings.co.uk and www.facebook.com/chicweddingshowrooms INTO THE WOODS If you’re seeking an intimate wedding spot amongst glorious woodland, you’ll be delighted to hear that the team at Elope have now added Bishops Wood, Ashford, to their roster of venues. Known locally as Forty Acre Woods, this private land, neglected for so long, has recently been purchased by Gary Stammers and his wife, Pauline. The location is now being lovingly revived, transforming it into a magical and enchanting al fresco wedding venue. With nature as your backdrop, you can now host a humanist ceremony or blessing beneath the towering canopy of native trees. Mother nature does a pretty good job as venue stylist, particularly during the spring when the wild foxgloves and dainty white-petaled anemones are awakened. You might even have a Snow White moment and encounter some friendly wildlife since deer, foxes, badgers, woodpeckers, nuthatches and owls all call Bishops Wood home. In addition to tying the knot here, you can book to stay in on- site Acorn Lodge, a recently renovated four-berth mobile home, complete with all the mod cons. Outside, there’s a firepit, barbecue, seating area and private parking. To ensure this exclusive venue retains its natural ecology, heritage and beauty there are only a select number of weddings permitted each year, so if this is for you, don’t hesitate to get in touch. Head over to www.e-lope.co.uk for more. Sustainable success The Oak Barn, a family-run wedding and events venue in the heart of Kent, is one of six finalists for The Sustainability and Environmental Impact accolade at the Rural Business Awards 2020/21. Frame Farm’s Grade II listed barns are grouped around a traditional farmyard and provide a stunning setting for weddings. The Oak Barn, The Byre and Weaver’s Cottages have been lovingly brought back to life as part of a three-and-a-half-year restoration project and offer state-of-the-art facilities, beautifully incorporated into the fabric of the historical buildings. Tim Maw, director and co-owner of the venue says, “We’re extremely proud of this recognition as it was our vision to restore the derelict farm, give it a new use that would also create economic growth in the rural community, and do so in an environmentally responsible way.” Becoming a national finalist builds on the venue’s success as runner up in the Best Rural Start Up Business in their first year of trading. Along with the rest of the hospitality industry, owners Deana and Tim have endured a difficult second year due to the pandemic, but Tim says, “Becoming a national finalist is a great morale boost.” Find out more about tying the knot sustainably at The Oak Barn at www.the-oak-barn.co.uk PEACE OF MIND Wedding dates are filling up fast for 2021-23 over at Mercure Tunbridge Wells, and one of its couples’ main concerns is: what if our wedding is affected by Covid-19? It’s a question you’ll no doubt have on your lips too, so be sure to check with your own venue. We asked Sophie Brunger, events manager at Mercure Tunbridge Wells, about their policy. Sophie says, “Couples who make a new wedding booking with us for 2021 or 2022 will be able to change their date once, at no extra charge. Plus, any payment they’ve made towards their wedding will be moved over to the new date, meaning they won’t lose out on any money already paid. What’s more, any bedrooms booked for the newlyweds and their guests will also be moved over.”* Having stayed open throughout the pandemic to accommodate and assist keyworkers, the team are adept at keeping guests safe and have received certification from VisitEngland and the AA confirming that required standards are met. The venue is also part of the Accor Hotels ALLSAFE programme, which holds it to standards above local and international hygiene requirements. Find out more at www.mercuretunbridgewells.co.uk *T erms and conditions apply. www.natalieevans-photography.com https://louisgorringe.co.uk 10